Advertising in Japan (Part 2): all about the aesthetics

Advertising in Japan (Part 2)
Last year, Creative Culture made an initial attempt to unravel the marketing mystery that is advertising in Japan.

After increasing interest and feedback, the team decided to take another dive into this world to continue discovering why marketing in Japan is so unique.

The influence of comedy (Owarai) on Japan’s marketing campaigns was revealed in “Part 1” of our exploration, but after taking a second look, a deeper motive was uncovered.

The first sign of this was found in an advert recently released around Valentine’s Day and – as we’ve come to expect in this market – the ad contains an almost unthinkable twist.

While the surprise factor is bound to create some viral recognition (as it has in this case), it seems that there is an underlying focus on aesthetics.
 


In fact, Japan has its own complete set of aesthetic ideals, which underpin cultural norms and guide what is considered artistically tasteful or beautiful. Three ideals that often visibly permeate the advertising industry are Dokujisei (originality), Kawaii (cute) and Kakkoii (cool).

A recent example that supports the aesthetic theme, successfully ticking at least 2 of these ideals, was developed by FMCG brand Kagome. Leveraging the current craze over wearables, the brand integrates what they are known for (tomato products) to create a completely original advert that has gained viral traction.



Music is one of the key contributors to advertising aesthetics in Japan.
From quirky background music to full-blown musical productions, campaigns are made whole with these unique sounds. A perfect example can be found in a campaign recently put out by Toyota. Tying in the theme of heart pumping, adrenaline racing (Waku Doki), the automotive brand highlights the Hilux model in what could be one of the most unusual ads developed by Toyota to date.

Not only did the campaign reach viral success, the one-of-a-kind ad might also represent a milestone in the brand’s journey to breaking a common perception of producing unexciting, appliance-like vehicles.



What has become increasingly clear after our second take on Japan is an overarching focus on in-the-moment, aesthetic engagement, whether it be through visual design and execution, music, or creative copy.

Will these same ads be memorable 10 years down the road?
Perhaps they’re not designed to be, but rather crafted to be a leader of the here and now (that is, until a new aesthetic emerges).

For now, a careful focus on gathering accurate insight will help the rest of the world learn and respond to this incredibly unique market. With Japan being one of the world’s frontrunners in ad spend, this presents a mystery global marketers can’t afford not to solve.

Read more from Creative Culture in our Clubhouse.

 

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